FMCC gala to support sign-language series led by deaf youths

The France Macau Chamber of Commerce (FMCC) will direct proceeds from the Lucky Draw at its Oct. 30 charity gala to a 14-episode sign-language video series led by deaf and hard-of-hearing young people. Gala funds will support the Macau Deaf Association’s “Monday Sign Language Channel,” scheduled to run from Jan. 4 to April 5, 2027.

The initiative is intended to build public understanding of the deaf community while giving young participants practical experience presenting educational content on camera, according to the association.

More than 300 business, government and community representatives from Macau, Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area are expected to attend, the chamber said.

FMCC chairman Rutger Verschuren highlighted that the gala combines the chamber’s business-networking role with support for local social initiatives. “Our galas always have been quite popular. First and foremost, it is about raising funds for underserved communities in Macau,” he said.

“For nearly 20 years, FMCC has connected businesses, academics [and] innovators across Macau and France,” Verschuren said, noting that the chamber stages more than 40 events each year and reaches more than 2,000 participants through breakfast talks, entrepreneurship forums, company visits and other programs.

The 17th annual FMCC Charity Gala, themed “Cannes: Le Festival,” will be held in the Grand Ballroom at MGM Macau. Inspired by the French Riviera, it will include a cocktail reception, classical music, a five-course French dinner with wine, live entertainment, an international magician and a performance by local band The Royals, led by singer Jandira.

The event will also host the fourth Macau ESG Awards, recognizing sustainability projects in the categories of best project, best small and medium-sized enterprise and best nongovernmental organization.

Inclusion initiative

The chamber selected the Macau Deaf Association as this year’s beneficiary as part of a broader focus on diversity and inclusion.

“Through the ‘Monday Sign Language Channel,’ we hope to broaden how the community understands and includes those with hearing impairments,” Verschuren said.

Founded in 1994, the Macau Deaf Association (MDA) is a self-help organization serving deaf and hard-of-hearing people and their families. Its services include an education center for children with hearing loss and a service center for deaf people.

Wong Kam Sum, representing the association, highlighted during the press conference that the project coincides with International Day of Sign Languages on Sept. 23 and the International Week of Deaf People, observed during the final week of September.

“This sponsorship is made possible through the FMCC Charity Gala Dinner,” Wong said. “This cross-border collaboration not only supports the promotion of sign language, but also creates more platforms for deaf and hard-of-hearing teenagers to practice and showcase themselves.”

The association launched its Monday Sign Language Promotion Learning Channel in 2021. Deaf and hard-of-hearing teenagers serve as presenters, developing confidence, communication skills and a stronger understanding of the community they represent, the MDA said.

At the gala’s press conference, Ada Lo, an FMCC board member, said inclusion should not remain “just a concept or a slogan,” but should be put into practice. The project, she said, will give participants greater confidence and public-speaking skills that can support them in daily life.

Lo also highlighted the beneficiary of last year’s gala: the FMCC Hengqin-Macau Inclusive Fun Day, which brought together the Macau Special Olympics, the Zhuhai Autism Society and families from Macau and Zhuhai for adaptive sports, music therapy and other activities focused on neurodiversity inclusion.

Speaking to reporters after the press conference, Verschuren said the chamber hopes to raise between MOP60,000 and MOP70,000 through this year’s Lucky Draw. “We are very happy if we can reach 60, then we can at least fulfill our goal of 14 Mondays for the sign language training,” he said.

*The Macau Daily Times

is a sponsor of the event.